


Shadows

by Enchantable



Category: Pacific Rim (2013)
Genre: F/M, Fluff and Angst, Pre-Canon
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-08-17
Updated: 2013-08-17
Packaged: 2017-12-23 20:12:29
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 864
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/930641
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Enchantable/pseuds/Enchantable
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Mako can feel her dream slipping away with each new declaration of non-compatibility.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Shadows

**Author's Note:**

> Prompt: Mako's funny reaction when she was introduced to Raleigh. Had they feetingly crossed paths before? After all, Stacker was his superior five years ago.

Mako Mori is a shadow. 

She is a dark shadow, who exists for one purpose. There is no light in her world. She does not want there to be. Her presence at the academy is a boon granted by Stacker, it’s an experiment almost. Because no matter how good her scores, no matter how strong her potential, everyone knows who she is. They’re all angry too, all desperate for the same things.

but no-one wants to be the kid running from a Kaiju, clutching her red shoe.

Mako wouldn’t ask anyone to be, but it isn’t really up to her. You have no control in the drift, not unless you’re someone like Stacker or Herc and Mako doesn’t think she ever will be. When a handful of her class gets drafted to be pilots, Mako says nothing. She bids them farewell and then heads to the shatterdome to see her adopted father. 

He’s in a meeting when she arrives outside his office. 

Meeting is a loose term because she can hear the shouting coming from inside. It isn’t his voice because Stacker doesn’t yell. It isn’t hard to imagine a pilot standing over him shouting about something and Stacker sitting there, letting him get it out of his system. Like a parent and a toddler. The tantrum doesn’t seem to be slowing down but just as Mako’s about to leave a man comes sauntering down the hallway.

No, not a man, a pilot. 

His arm is in a sling and a bandage winds over his right eye. She wonders if that’s what they’re yelling about. Pilots are protective over each other after all. He comes over and drops into the seat next to her. There are four others and Mako wonders why he chooses the one next to her or if she should move. 

Her head snaps towards the door when the sound of something breaking rings out. 

The pilot chuckles. 

"You’d think they would give him an office with thicker doors," he says. Mako looks over at him sharply, "I’m sure they’re fine. Yancy’s just being an ass," he adds. 

The name comes to her instantly. Becket. The Becket brothers. Hot shot pilots of what is undoubtably her second favorite Jaeger. They are Stacker’s best pilots and biggest headaches. She feels her face go hot when she realizes she’s staring and Raleigh, the younger, is smiling at her like there isn’t anything wrong with it. 

"So are you one of the new pilots?" He asks. She shakes her head miserably, "Good," he tells her. She looks at him sharply, "You’re too young," he says. 

"i’m almost seventeen," she argues, "I just look young."

"Seventeen’s young," he says, "I was around your age when I did my first drift test," he laughs, "trust me you don’t want to go inside an eighteen year old’s head."

Her face falls because that’s exactly the problem and Raleigh clears his throat, obviously seeing he’s done something wrong before Mako smoothes out her expression. 

"You just gotta give it time," he says turning towards her. 

"No-one wants to be inside my head," Mako admits finally, keeping her eyes on the ground.

she hears him inhale and knows he’s figured it out, figured out who she is. People always do, sooner or later. Some days Mako wonders if she’ll ever be able to take off that blue coat she complained about when her mother made her wear because it was too hot out even if the hospital was going to be air conditioned. 

She hears him shift and winces, wanting to apologize for making things awkward when his hand comes into view. The candy inside his palm is wrapped up brightly, done so it looks like a strawberry. Mako looks at it and then at him. He’s got a gentle smile on but there isn’t pity in his eyes, like she’s used to seeing. Slowly she reaches out and grasps the candy. His hand vanishes into his pocket as he pulls out another. She follows his lead and unwraps hers, putting it into her mouth. 

"Here’s a tip," he says, "the drift leaves this weird taste in your mouth," he tells her, "when you become a pilot make sure your crew has these ready," she looks at him, trying to judge if he’s teasing her but he leans forward and looks at her, "someone wants to be in your head," he says, "you just haven’t found them yet. But you will, and there will be plenty of Kaiju for you to kill."

She smiles. Not because of his words entirely but because of his kindness. the door bangs open and she looks up at Yancy Becket storms out and down the hall. she’s on her feet instantly, bowing to Stacker who acknowledges her and then turns to Raleigh, motioning him in with a sharp jab of his head. Raleigh sighs and gets to his feet. At the door he turns around tosses her another candy which she catches easily. 

"Remember," he says, "weird taste."

She nods and sits to wait, telling herself sternly that until she becomes a pilot she is a shadow.

and shadows do not have crushes.


End file.
